The 6th graders are newbies this year not only to MYP but also to MUN. As a first-time delegate, it’s easy to get swept away by the formal nature of a MUN conference and all the public speaking it entails. However, the 6th-grade students have been remarkable, and many people agree.

In A1 I spoke to some students who were equally nervous and excited. A lot of them are still getting the hang of MUN procedures and vocabulary. Some are more confident than others, but when interviewing them on their research overall they all seem to have done their part in preparing. Now most of us who have done MUN before know that you can never be fully prepared for the conference, but having basic knowledge of their topics is really pushing them forward.

As the day progresses, I see classes like 6c really getting more into the flow of things. They started with a fun debate on whether DC or Marvel was better. Now they are fully into their debate on the preservation of the Arctic. They are also much bolder when it comes to speaking to the chairs, some even asking to be given a ‘punishment’ because it’s fun.

During the first break, I got a chance to speak to the chairs in A6, who described 6v as impressive, other than a few mistakes in procedure, they were very advanced. “He’s in 6th grade talking about something I’m studying in 12th grade.” said the chair. The students have also grown in confidence, speaking more to each other.

Lastly, 6p started the day quietly with active participation in debates, regularly asking questions and only good words from their chairs. However, as they neared lunchtime and the Gossip Box was opened, it got loud. In helping a neighboring class execute their ‘punishment’. They let some 8th-grade students in to sing the infamous ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen, and soon everyone was singing. It stopped all debates on the second floor of Annex B as students and teachers alike came to watch.